Age: 39
Occupation: Co-Founder and CEO, WOW Holdings Ltd.
A lawyer, business strategist and father of three, Andrew Kim channelled his entrepreneurial spirit into building a Korean fried-chicken restaurant that has since grown into a collection of brands spotlighting Korean culture.
In 2013, Kim, along with his business partner, opened the first location of WOW Chicken in Kensington, aiming for an authentic experience, reminiscent of what you’d find in Seoul. “I wanted to create something that not only would appeal and serve the needs of those longing for their Korean roots, but also provide a new experience to Western customers,” Kim says.
Three years later, they launched WOW Bakery. Opening a bakery-café was Kim’s childhood dream, stemming from his and his mother’s shared love of desserts. Kim felt the city was missing a premium Korean-style bakery and wanted to bring Korean baked goods with French and Japanese influences to Calgarians. He built WOW Bakery from scratch, from scouting spaces to sourcing just the right butter and flour.
In 2017, Kim went to Shanghai to develop his business acumen. He completed an MBA and worked in Asia as a lawyer and later, with a travel technology platform, significantly growing its global reach and operations. He returned to Calgary earlier this year and is now applying his international experience to grow his WOW group of companies. In addition to the chicken and bakery shops in the franchise model, the company has expanded with WOW Stores and WOW Katsu (Japanese fried cutlets). “It’s a small startup with big dreams,” Kim says. “In order for us to be successful, we had to become a brand-builder.”
WOW brands now occupy a large bakery production facility and 15 retail storefronts in Calgary, Ponoka, Red Deer, Cochrane, Beiseker, Rocky View County and soon Lethbridge and Airdrie, with plans for expansion beyond Alberta.
Thank yous
“My loving family members for always standing by me, no matter the circumstances, and for being pillars of strength in my life.”
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